During the toss for the first Test, Shastri couldn't resist a cheeky nod to those events while introducing Pycroft.
Defending champions India will open their campaign against USA in Mumbai on February 7 before facing Namibia in Delhi on February 12.
India's T20 World Cup squad had space for only 15, but the pool of quality options ran far deeper. The consequence was inevitable: several players with genuine claims were left on the outside, the unlucky ones who narrowly missed the cut.
The source said the selectors might ask Shadab to join the team for the ongoing home series against Sri Lanka to get back to full match fitness under the supervision of the national team management.
Pakistan fast bowler Naseem Shah will stay with the squad for the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi despite an attack on his residence in Lower Dir in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Sri Lankan players currently touring Pakistan for a three-match ODI series want to return home due to security concerns following a deadly suicide attack in Islamabad but PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi claimed that the rubber will continue, albeit with a rejigged schedule.
After being put into bat, Sri Lanka started brightly as the openers put up a 51-run stand before Pathum Nissanka was run out attempting a risky third run.
Pakistan has deployed army and paramilitary forces to protect Sri Lanka's cricket team after a deadly suicide bombing in Islamabad raised security concerns during their ongoing tour, the interior minister said on Thursday.
Naqvi assured Siriwiratnay that the visiting team players and officials were state guests in Pakistan.
'I'm feeling strong. I am feeling fit, and I am feeling ready to go,'
The new-look Indian team to be captained by Shubman Gill departed for their upcoming tour for Zimbabwe on Tuesday.
Akash Kumar Choudhary is hoping for an IPL opportunity, calling for greater representation of India's northeastern states in the IPL.
Young India opener Abhishek Sharma and spinner Varun Chakravarthy continued to occupy the top spots among batters and bowlers in the latest ICC Men's T20 Players' Rankings issued on Wednesday.
Two-tier Test system unlikely to take off; ICC eyes revival of ODI Super League
The hype around Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's much-awaited return to international cricket quickly gave way to disappointment in Perth, as both faltered against Australia's fast bowlers in the first ODI after an eight-month hiatus.
Zimbabwe posted the highest-ever team total in the history of T20Is by amassing a monumental 344 for 4 against a lowly Gambia in a Group B encounter of the T20 World Cup Sub Regional Africa Qualifier in Nairobi on Wednesday.
Uncapped left-arm seamer Ben Lister is likely to make his debut in the 2nd Test
Mohammed Siraj on Monday surpassed Zimbabwe's Blessing Muzarabani to become the world's leading wicket-taker in Tests in 2025.
Several of the home batters got starts but Clive Madande was the top scorer with an unbeaten 29 from 25 balls as Zimbabwe collapsed from 73-3 to 90-9 before a late innings flurry.
IMAGES from the 1st T20I between Zimbabwe and India played in Harare on Saturday
Phil Salt set Old Trafford ablaze with a destructive century, smashing multiple records, as England hammered South Africa by 146 runs to level the three-match T20 International series 1-1 on Friday
Growing up, he sharpened his skill watching videos of West Indian spinner Sunil Narine and Indian legend Ravichandran Ashwin. He was fortunate to meet Ashwin during a stint with KKR in the IPL.
The team locked their spot in the global event with a game in hand by emphatically beating Canada, Bermuda and Argentina in the double round-robin Qualifier played in Rydal, Georgia.
England's torrid run in the 50-over format has plunged to alarming depths after they lost their first ODI series to South Africa since 1998.
Veteran Zimbabwe wicketkeeper-batter Brendan Taylor on Thursday created history by making a resolute return to international cricket after a hiatus of of three-and-a-half years.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi is unlikely to play the full season for Bihar as he will be in contention to be a part of India's squad for the Under-19 World Cup to be held in Zimbabwe and Namibia early next year.
Along with Hasaranga, Sri Lanka have Dunith Wellalage and Maheesh Theekshana among spin bowling options.
Pakistan's Federal Minister for Information Ata Tarar has dismissed the International Cricket Council's statement on the deaths of three cricketers in Afghanistan, terming it "selective" and "biased".
'See, it's a journey for me because I like challenges. And getting to these smaller teams and making them grow, that makes me very happy.'
Former captain Babar Azam and pacer Naseem Shah have been recalled to Pakistan's T20 squad for the upcoming home assignment against South Africa and a tri-Series involving Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe next month.
Abhishek Sharma and Smriti Mandhana have been named ICC Players of the Month for September after setting new benchmarks in India's dominance across formats.
Team India enjoys the unwavering support of one of cricket's most passionate fan bases in the world.
Abhishek Sharma admitted that India's batting unit was caught slightly off guard by the extra bounce and disciplined bowling in Australian conditions in the second T20I in Melbourne.
United Arab Emirates became the 20th and last team to qualify for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup after beating Japan by eight wickets in the last Asia/EAP Qualifying game here on Thursday.
Kuldeep was instrumental to India's success at the Asia Cup, topping the wicket-taking chart with 17 wickets. Chopra explained the rationale behind dropping the left-arm wrist spinner, attributing it to batting depth.
Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan on Tuesday didn't mince words while criticising the "not so ideal" scheduling
Zimbabwe series will be announced by the end of this week
Jorich Van Schalkwyk, the 18-year-old opener for South Africa Under-19, has made history by being the first batter to slam a double-century in men's Youth ODIs.
The Pakistan Cricket Board announced that Shaheen Shah Afridi will lead Pakistan in the three-match ODI series against South Africa in Faisalabad from November 4-8.
Tickets for the match on September 14 are in huge demand than for any other match. Most journalists are also arriving only in time for this match, even skipping India's opening match against the UAE on September 10.
